Nepal: New Refugees from India

Sujeet Arjel

The Nepalese leaders have started visiting Delhi again, not just for medical check-up, but a friendly visit as they’d like to describe, where Nepal’s political situation can be shared, and the possibilities can be explored and discussed.

It is always a good idea to discuss country’s political situation in New Delhi, in one of the friendly neighboring country. It is good on their part and for their leadership to invite always those parties that are in opposition and get first hand information to discuss those issues that impacts Nepal’s development. It’s always the people who wander why these leaders, when they return to Kathmandu roar anything and everything, either against the government of the day or any other political party or still against the institution that have been sidelined, reassuring people of impending changes.

It is very unfortunate that all leaders, when in Delhi only brief on Nepal’s political situation and discuss new possibilities, often to create instability under a new pretext as is the trend, that hardly benefit the country. Not very often has any leaders upon their arrival from Delhi are heard broaching such pertinent issues of national interests with Indian leadership as land encroachment, border issues, harassment of Nepalese visitors and residents along the border side by the Indian security forces, business investments in Nepal, and a new development - the new refugees arriving from northern part of India’s West Bengal.

The RSS (national news agency), Kantipur and other news outlets have already reported the arrival of refugees from north Bengal on the middle of February 2011, and this issue has not got enough attention among the stake holders. These refugees have been arriving along the Jhapa district of eastern Nepal along the borders with West Bengal to escape brutalities perpetuated by local police and other enforcement agencies. This issue need not wait until it becomes a major crisis.

Any leaders visiting India can bring this issue to the India’s central leadership and facilitate on resolving it. Just as any political developments in Nepal are a natural concern for India, in particular; similarly, events primarily in the adjoining states of India are also of great concern to Nepal. Therefore, this issue needs to be discussed on every time any or all political parties visit India. This issue need not wait for political parties to initiate; it can be lead by any student group, sister wing of political parties, civil society, human rights group and others.

Although challenging for any political groups, but should one take this issue into discussion from now on at different occasion, they will have the opportunity to win popular confidence and admiration. It would give them an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to proactively to work on regional issues, and once again provide effective leadership.

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Comments

Posted on - 2011-07-19 by bhhimrajgurung
Precedence of taking refuge in India by leaders of Nepal were there during King's regime in the past and still continues even now. Unless leaders develope sence of belonging to Nepal this practice will continue..Most of the leaders belonging to particular gps think that their origin is India and feel more close to India the place of their ancestors.It is strongly believed that to avoid atrocities by rulers at various point of time in India's history,They took refuge in Nepal.They found safe haven in Nepal but nepal of yesteryear was not the nepal of today.Terai was impregnable due to thick jungle. Once they crossed it on the otherside they were safe!

Posted on - 2011-03-28 by sujan
If they are from Nepalese decend than we should not regard them as refugee,they are migrated due to Indian inhumanatian behaviour and this should be highlightened through media.India thinks biggest democracy in the world but why they are doing so for Nepalese decend living in their own teritory for centuries.why?? It's absolutely shame.

Posted on - 2011-03-21 by bhimrajgurung
Most of our political parties and its leaders have no guts to admit problems faced by nepal and its people. Is it that they don't have brains to go that far.Just an irony of fate to nepal and nepalese.